Lakers vs. Suns prediction: NBA picks, best bets, odds Tuesday

Betting on games always presents unknowns, but certain situations offer even more.

Case in point is Tuesday’s NBA Cup with the Los Angeles Lakers visiting the Phoenix Suns. All-Stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are returning from injury and that clearly changes the handicap.

A left calf strain has kept Durant out since Nov. 8, and Phoenix is 1-6 without him in the lineup.

The Suns underperformed last year but they have played a high level of basketball this season with Durant, Beal and Devon Booker in the starting lineup. That will be the case against LA, but which version will we have, given that two are returning from a layoff?

“Sometimes you get minutes restrictions, if the players have had a long absence. I wouldn’t expect that here, although Durant’s calf injury could play into that,” Las Vegas SuperBook head NBA oddsmaker Jeff Sherman told Only Players. “I would expect an adjustment period if it’s players with little history together but with this being the second season of the Suns trio, I don’t expect that here.” 

Lakers vs. Sunds odds TeamSpreadMoneylineOddsLakers+2.5 (-112)+114o234.5 (-108)Suns-2.5 (-108)-135u234.5 (-112)Odds via DraftKings

Meanwhile, the Lakers have lost back-to-back games but the stakes and focus changes with an NBA Cup game. In fact, the Lakers won the in-season tournament last year with an undefeated mark and are off to a 2-0 start in West Group B this year.

The Lakers are coming off a conventional regular season home loss in which they were outscored by 31 points in the second half by the Denver Nuggets. Rookie coach JJ Redick had strong criticism that was delivered constructively and what you want to see if you anticipate betting on the Lakers. 

I expect a strong start from LA and Phoenix to encounter a bit of an adjustment period with Durant and Beal returning to a lineup that has looked a bit lost without them.

Kevin Durant may be rusty after being sidelined. NBAE via Getty Images

Thus, I am betting on the Lakers in the first half as one-point underdogs.

I also like to use these situations to think outside the box.

For example, bettors often forget to isolate a prop, such as the first team to reach 10 points, 15 points, 20 points, etc, instead of betting the first quarter or first half.

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However, I do not see a particular edge here because the Lakers have a respectable bench and could make a push in the second quarter and that’s when Phoenix’s rhythm might face a cold stretch.

The Lakers rank 11th in first-half scoring margin but eighth-worst in second-half margin.

I am comfortable backing them in the first 24 minutes and hope Redick pushes the right buttons for a team that has delivered in these NBA Cup games.

BEST BET: Lakers first-half +1 (-110, DraftKings)

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who currently serves as the Chief Content Officer for Only Players, a sports betting media company. Doug has over two decades of experience in the sports betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.